Dog Tags
by Laura T
Summary: SheppardOC. What would happen if John had a son that he knew nothing about? What would happen between him and Teyla? Bad summary very sorry.
1. Chapter 1

**8 years ago:**

Lieutenant Danni Jackson was sitting in the air force hospital anxiously waiting for some test results. She hadn't been feeling well and her boyfriend had told her to go and see her doctor. Danni smiled at the thought of her very good-looking boyfriend. He was tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Not to mention the uniform. She loved men in uniform especially this one. A noise brought her out of her daydream.

"Lieutenant?" said a Scottish voice. She turned and smiled, "What is it doc?"

"Well…your pregnant. Congratulations." Danni's vision seemed to have blanked out. She somehow managed to get home. _How am I going to tell him?_ She thought to herself. _I'm not ready how on Earth is he going to be? Will he even care?_

"Dan? You home?" called a gruff voice from the hallway.

"In here!" she turned in her seat to see her boyfriend walk in smiling. He swooped down and gave her a long passionate kiss. "I have some news." He said huskily as they finally broke for air.

"Oh? What is it?"

"I'm being promoted to Captain and I've been reassigned to Afghanistan." He frowned at the last part of the news. It was at that moment that Danni decided not to tell him. She smiled and said, "Congratulations!" he smiled at her.

"So what did the doc say?"

"Its just a stomach bug. He's given me antibiotics should be as right as rain in a couple of weeks. When do you go?"

"Two days." They sat in silence for the rest of the night. Two days later he was gone, they had decided to break up as he didn't know when he would be back if he was to be back at all. After he had left Danni requested a transfer to Washington. That night she cried herself to sleep. Six months later Danni was heavily pregnant, she had been promoted two ranks to Major and now she was retiring to raise her child.

Three months later Danni was screaming in agony as she gave one big push. A couple of minutes later she could hear a baby cry. A nurse handed her a bundle of blankets.

"You have a healthy baby boy. Have you thought of a name?" asked her doctor. As she looked at her baby boy she could see tufts of dark hair sticking up in every which way and brown eyes. He looked just like his father.

"Yes. His name is John Jackson."


	2. Chapter 2

**7 years later:**

Danni heard the front door open and close and then a young boy appeared in the kitchen.

"Hey Mom." Danni turned and looked at her son. He was already tall and lean. With his dark hair and brown eyes he still looked like his father. However he did have her temperament.

"Hey JJ. How was school?" He shrugged.

"It was ok. Maths was easy and science especially physics interested me." Danni frowned. She had no idea where her son got it from. He loved maths and physics the two subjects she had loathed as a child. She want stupid by any stretch of the imagination but she just couldn't get her head wrapped around it. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

"You got any homework?"

"Yes."

"Ok. To the table until tea is ready." JJ moaned but went to the table anyway. As Danni was starting tea the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Major Danni Jackson?" said a male voice.

"Retired. Who is this?"

"This is General Jack O'Neill. Would it be possible to have a meeting with you?"

"Sorry sir. Yes sir. What time sir?"

"Wow. That's a lot of sirs. 0930 hours."

"Can I ask how long the meeting will last sir? As I have to be home in time for my son coming in from school."

"Bring him with you. This affects both of you. Oh and bring a suitcase for you and your son." Puzzled Danni asked, "May I ask why sir?"

"No. See you tomorrow. Cheyenne mountain 0930." Before she could say anything else the line went dead. The rest of the evening Danni and JJ packed their suitcases.

**The next day:**

Danni and JJ climbed out of the car and headed to the little office thing and told the officer inside who they were.

"Ah General O'Neill is expecting you ma'am. Just go inside the mountain and head to the lift go to level 23. An officer will be waiting."

"Thank you. JJ give me your hand please." They walked into the mountain and went down in the lift. When they arrived Danni was surprised to see General O'Neill she quickly snapped to attention and saluted. He saluted back and said, "At ease." He looked down at JJ and did a double take. He could have sworn he had seen this boy before but couldn't quite figure out where. He knelt down in front of the boy. "Hi. I'm Jack O'Neill. What's your name?"

"John Jackson sir. But everyone calls me JJ." He replied. As the boy had said his name Jack knew where he had seen the boy before except the one he knew was at least a 35 year old man. "Nice to meet you JJ." He stood up. "Should we get started?" he asked pointing to a room off to the left. It took most of the morning for Danni to be debriefed on the Stargate programme and Atlantis.

"Any questions?"

"Yes sir. Why me?"

"Well we need as many military personnel on Atlantis as possible." Danni nodded and then asked "What about JJ? And school?"

"He'll be around the most brilliant minds this planet has to offer. Don't worry its all taken care of. Could I talk to you alone for a minute?" Danni nodded again and turned to JJ. "Go stand outside for a minute please." JJ nodded and went out of the room.

"Does he know?" Jack asked getting to the point.

"Who sir?"

"Sheppard."

"No. He was sent to Afghanistan before he was born. JJ knows everything about his father and that he loves him very much." Seeming to be satisfied with the answer Jack said, "You'll be going through the gate in an hour. Everything has been arranged for you and your son. Consider yourself restored to full active duty Major. Dismissed." Danni stood up and saluted and walked out of the door. She let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. An hour later JJ and Danni were walking up the ramp towards the open gate with their suitcases. Three seconds later they were on Atlantis.


	3. Chapter 3

Danni and JJ looked around in astonishment.

"Mom, I'm scared." JJ said Danni knelt down in front of him.

"I know JJ but this is mommy's job. You're going to be ok. I promise." Behind her back Danni could hear someone clearing their throat. She stood up and turned to face a blonde haired woman with blue eyes.

"Major Danni Jackson?"

"Yes ma'am." As she spoke she noticed a tallish man coming down the steps to join the woman. He had brown hair and blue eyes. The woman turned to at the sound "Ah good." The woman turned back to Danni and said, "I'm Colonel Carter and this is Major Lorne. Lt Colonel Sheppard is currently…" she trailed off as JJ had stepped out from behind Danni. Both Carter and Lorne did double takes. Carter regained her composure quicker than Lorne. "offworld. I'd heard he looked like John but I never realised how much." She turned to JJ. "Hi. You must be JJ?"

"Yes ma'am." He replied politely. Danni smiled she had taught him well.

"Please call me Sam." Carter smiled at him again and straightened. Before she could say anything else another male voice shouted "Colonel! These idiots that you brought with you are trying to kill us all!" he made his way down the steps, completely ignored Lorne, looked at Danni and JJ and went back to yelling at Carter. "You need to fire whoever said they were the best and brightest. And what the HELL happened to Sheppard this time?" he said pointing to JJ.

"Well if you would stop talking for a second I would tell you Rodney! Dr Rodney McKay meet Major Danni Jackson and her son John Jackson also known as JJ." Rodney stood flabbergasted. The boy had actually rendered him speechless. JJ smiled and said, "Nice to meet you."

"Uh…uh…" Rodney stammered. "I…uh…have to go save the labs." Before anyone could stop him he ran off.

"Well that was different. I guess you want to go and unpack?"

"Er yes. Actually ma'am I was wondering if I could talk to you a second?"

"Certainly. Major why don't you show JJ to their quarters? While we have a chat?"

"Certainly ma'am. You ready JJ? You don't mind me calling you that do you?"

"No sir. Why did that man call me Sheppard?" Lorne looked mortified and turned to Danni for help. She knelt down to face her son.

"You remember how I told you that you looked a lot like daddy?" JJ nodded. "Well daddy works here." JJ immediately started to look around. "Where is he? Doesn't he know we're coming?"

"Daddy's working. Don't worry you'll see him soon. I promise. Ok? Now will you go with Major Lorne and behave?"

"Yes I promise." JJ looked up to Lorne and took his hand and smiled. Danni straightened. "Good boy." She ruffled his hair and he pulled a face.

"Thank you Major."

"No problem. Lets go JJ." She watched them walk out with suitcases in hand. Danni turned to Carter. "Ma'am I'd rather tell John myself about JJ if that's ok?"

"Certainly. I'll tell Rodney myself that he isn't to say anything to John." Just then the Stargate started to come to life.

"Receiving Colonel Sheppard's IDC!"

"You know what to do." Carter replied. Danni turned and looked at the sight that greeted her as three people came through the gate. John, a small woman and a tall man with dreadlocks stepped through the event horizon.

"Ah Colonel, Ronan, Teyla. May I introduce Major Danni Jackson." Danni snapped to attention and saluted, "Colonel. Ronan, Teyla nice to meet you." She said holding out her hand. Teyla shook it and tilted her head "It is nice to meet you Major."

"Please call me Danni." Ronan just grunted and walked away. Teyla started the same way. As she walked past John she touched his arm. "Are you coming John?"

"Yeah in a minute. Go ahead." He walked towards Danni and Carter discreetly walked up the stairs. John continued to look at her a couple of minutes before pulling her into a hug.

"Dan…" he breathed. Danni smiled and hugged him back. "John." They pulled apart and she looked him square in the eyes and said, "I have to tell you something…"


	4. Chapter 4

In the ensuing madness Danni never got the chance to explain to John who JJ was or why she hadn't told him she was pregnant. It was three weeks later before anyone found out by JJ. McKay had been sworn to secrecy and anyone on the base could tell that something was very wrong with him. Finally Teyla confronted him, "Rodney what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." He snapped at her. He was being crankier than normal and she appeared to be the only person who was not getting offended by it. Taking a deep breath she tried again, "Rodney. Clearly there is something bothering you. Now what is it?" McKay looked at her in consideration but was saved by JJ entering the lab. He was allowed to wonder around on base as long as he wasn't being a nuisance. Before McKay could speak Teyla spotted the boy and was confused by what she saw. Looking at him in confusion she turned to McKay and asked him.

"Rodney. What has happened to John?"

"Nothing. That's not Sheppard. That's his son."

"Does he know of his son?" McKay shook his head. "Why not?"

"Ask his mother." McKay snapped irritably. Teyla inclined her head and looked JJ in the eyes. "Tell me. Where is your mother?" she asked him kindly. For a boy who was rarely allowed out of his quarters he was doing well with impatience.

"In our quarters." He mumbled. JJ walked out of the lab and headed back to his quarters with Teyla following closely behind him.

**On a distant planet:**

"Why did I have to come again?" Ronan complained for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning. Sheppard rolled his eyes. He had no idea why he had to come either. But Carter had ordered him and he had ordered Ronan to come. Zelenka was busy muttering to himself in Czech, while some of his other scientists looked at Ancient looking console.

"You came because I ordered you too. Besides with our growing number of enemies out there. I'd rather be safe than sorry." Sheppard answered the tall, dreadlocked man. Ronan stomped away to look after the other scientists while Sheppard walked over to Zelenka.

"Zelenka? You any closer to finding out what this does yet?" Zelenka practically jumped a mile and turned around.

"Well…no…" Sheppard started to walk towards it knowing that he would have to touch it eventually to power it up. "No…Colonel please don't do that." Zelenka was too late and Sheppard was engulfed in a white light. When the light disappeared Zelenka stared at Sheppard in shock and muttered, "Oh no. What have I done?"

**Back on Atlantis:**

Teyla and Danni had been chatting about the situation with JJ for over an hour when there was an announcement that there was an offworld activation. Teyla looked at her watch and said, "They are late." Danni looked at her in puzzlement; apparently John's team was always late.

"That's normal isn't it?" Danni asked her.

"Yes it is. Now we must discuss this situation."

"What situation?"

"I believe it would be better if John never found out that his son is here." Teyla said calmly. Danni however was struggling to keep her calm.

"What? Why?" she demanded.

"John has a family here. He does not need the distraction of son to cloud his judgement when it comes to the safety of this base."

"JJ is his family! More than you anyway!" Danni snapped at her. "You cannot expect me to do my job while my son is locked in his room. This is not what we signed on for."

"I believe it would distract John. He already has enough on his mind." Teyla said just as calmly as before. Danni couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had, had every intention of telling John about JJ but just hadn't found the right moment to speak to him since the invasion soon after their arrival. Teyla suddenly tapped her ear, "What is it Carson?"

"_Something has happened offworld. Could you come to the infirmary?_"

"On my way." She turned to Danni and said, "Explain it to your son." With that said Teyla walked out of the room and headed towards the infirmary before Danni could say anything. Danni stood in the room and called JJ out of is adjoining one.

"Mom why are you crying?" JJ asked her. He had never seen her cry before as he moved towards the bed. Taking a shaky breath Danni looked her son in the face, "JJ…about your father…"

"Am I going to meet him now?" he asked her excitedly. Danni dipped her head; she couldn't lie to her son.

"No. Not yet. You will soon. As soon as I find out what's happened offworld." Danni said smiling and leaving the room.

**In the infirmary:**

Carson looked at the young boy sitting on the bed. He knew that this was Lt Colonel John Sheppard but he just couldn't wrap his head around it. If JJ had been in here he would have sworn that they were twins. The only difference was that John had on his dog tags and JJ didn't have any. John sat looking at him with an eight year olds innocence but with all the experience of the adult John Sheppard. Carson had explained to the team what he knew and Ronan had taken over the narrative about what had happened on the planet. The room was silent until Danni came through the doors. She looked at the room and at the boy sitting on the bed. She immediately walked over to the bed and said, "JJ how did you manage to slip past me? Where have you hurt yourself?" without waiting for an answer she turned to Beckett and said, "Is he going to be ok?" Before Beckett could answer Teyla jumped in.

"Major…May I have a word?" Danni rounded on her. The rest of her team looked at Teyla in puzzlement except for McKay as he knew about JJ. Danni followed Teyla towards Beckett's office and she said in a hushed whisper, "That is not JJ. That is John. He had an accident offworld. Now have you thought about what I said earlier?"

"Yes. I am going to tell John that he has a son. He has a right to know." Danni answered defiantly. Before Teyla could speak Danni walked out of the infirmary. As she left she could hear John asking, "Who is JJ?" and Teyla answering "No one." Danni rolled her eyes and went to her quarters.

**A couple of days later:**

John was still eight years old and getting decidedly more cranky. The team dynamic had been off since what he dubbed 'The Infirmary Incident' between Danni and Teyla. Much to his annoyance McKay seemed to know something but wasn't saying anything. He kept shooting Teyla looks of disgust, which surprised him as the pair usually got on. He was also getting annoyed with his military contingent. He distinctly remembered ordering a couple of the marines to clean his favourite jumper as a punishment for being unnecessarily cruel to one of the female scientists. When he had gone to check on it, the jumper was still dirty. They had apparently disobeyed a direct order. He also hadn't seen Danni around that much. Yes Atlantis was big but it wasn't that big. After every shift she seemed to disappear and not reappear until her next shift. Giving in he decided to see Major Lorne and put him in charge until he was back to his normal self as his men weren't going to follow the orders of an eight year old boy and then he was going to see Danni. He was now on a mission.

**Two hours later:**

After putting Lorne in charge, which had taken longer than usual, as his second in command didn't seem to believe that the Colonel was in fact the Colonel, he was standing outside of Danni's quarters. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Danni shouted through the door. As he stepped over the threshold she frowned. "JJ what have I told you? Dr McKay is offering to teach you physics in his spare time. I thought I taught you manners. Now sit down. I will talk to Dr McKay for you in the morning." John moved towards the table and sat down, having decided to play along to see who this JJ person was. Danni placed an MRE in front of him and sat opposite him. She started on her food and after a couple of minutes she stopped and looked at him, "Well?"

"Well what?" John said sarcastically. Danni exploded.

"John Jackson! You will not talk to me like that. Now why did you leave early this time?"

"He was being mean." John said childishly. Before Danni could reply the door whooshed open and in walked JJ looking very pleased with himself. Danni turned to the doorway and her mouth fell open. She turned to the boy sitting opposite her with a big grin on his face. "John?" she asked him timidly.

**A/N: sorry about the patchiness of the chapter. I had to make Teyla mean so that Sheppard would have a reason to visit Danni. Please R and R. Thank you.**


End file.
